By T.J. MARTINELL
Gov. Jay Inslee this week announced the launch of a first-in-the-country electric vehicle rebate program funded through the state Department of Commerce, which is intended to encourage more car owners to transition away from gasoline vehicles.
The $45 million rebate program is one of several public policies the state is pursuing as part of their ultimate goal of converting the public and private transportation sectors into EVs. One of the ongoing challenges is the higher cost for EVs compared to their gasoline counterparts.
Speaking at an Aug. 1 news conference, Inslee said that while the cost of EVs has decreased “we don’t want to wait.”
“We want to get as many Washingtonians as possible, regardless of the economic circumstances, to be able to experience the thrill of having an EV, having a quiet, safe, comfortable right, and have gas prices the way they should be – which is zero, because you don’t have to pay any,” he said.
Comparing the rebate program to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Inslee said “we have a declaration of independence from gasoline. It is freedom, and we’re giving an opportunity for Washingtonians to enjoy that freedom.”
Under the program, state residents making 300% or below the federal poverty level in household income are eligible to apply for a rebate on an EV purchase or lease, provided the vehicle is $90,000 or less; hybrids and hydrogen vehicles are not eligible. The rebates are $5,000 for a purchase or two year lease on a new EV, and $9,000 for a three-year lease. The rebates for used EVs purchase or a two and three year leases are $2,500.
Speaking at the Aug. 1 press conference, state Department of Commerce Director Mike Fong said the program will help “level the playing field and really enabling EV adoption to go across the whole state.”
More information about the rebate program can be found at waevinstantrebates.org/.
What. A. Moron!
Yes and look who voted for that.
They all should give up fossil fuels.
I was going to say that exactly but you got it covered! 👍
The man is an imbecile.
Stupidity in its finest form.
How independent will consumers feel when the lights turn off after they demo all the massive hydroelectric dam facilities built on the Columbia river just so the Indians can have their river back pristine looking and untouched?
Inslee wants the under fed poverty level residents to feel the “thrill” of a quiet safe comfortable ride with zero gas price because you dont have to pay any?
Ignorant statement unless they plan to pay for all the electric consumption as well.
“Hydrogen and Hybrid vehicles are not eligible” is dumbest statement. If he had an ounce of smarts they would open it up to all forms of alternative energy sources including the methane gases escaping when Inslee speaks
People wonder why so many are leaving the state of Washington? Inslee is the answer.
(Alaska is one of their destinations)…scary thought.
It’s all for leases. And then this gem: “experience the thrill of having an EV.”
Meanwhile they are tearing down their clean electricity hydro plants. He is dumb as a bag of hammers.
And where do they think electricity comes from, these people are not very smart.
Jay Inslee, the presidential candidate who wanted to spend $9 trillion on green energy. Meanwhile, Washington state is eliminating hydroelectric dams to free up a couple thousand fish. Washington does have some rough winter weather which typically knocks out electricity for sometimes weeks. Have fun with that.
I can’t wait for this to happen.
I will get a bag of popcorn and watch Washington get dark.
Why not just give low income people a free EV. Get them mobile and get a better job. Maybe if homeless people got an EV they would get employed and not be homeless!
You pay for the EV cars.
I remember when Washington used to be a wonderful place. East of the Cascades, it still is.
Wait till you have to replace the battery in the electric car Toyota charges $5000 to replace the battery in a Prius.
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